Multiplexed Data Stream Payload Format

1. A network component comprising: a transmitter; a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the transmitter is configured to: transmit a frame comprising a transport overhead, a timeslot map, and a payload, wherein the timeslot map is transmitted after all of the transport overhead, wherein the timeslot map indicates the data types located in the payload are time division multiplexed (TDM) data, a high performance flow (HPF) data, a best-effort packet (BEP) data, and undefined data, wherein the payload is transmitted after all of the timeslot map, wherein the payload comprises a plurality of timeslots, wherein the timeslots are octet-sized timeslots, and wherein the timeslots are configured to carry the data types.

2. The network component of claim 1 , wherein the frame is not a SONET frame or a SDH frame.

3. The network component of claim 2 , wherein some of the timeslots are reserved for the TDM data, and wherein the BEP data is not transmitted in the timeslots reserved for the TDM data.

4. The network component of claim 2 , wherein the TDM data comprises telephonic voice data and the BEP data comprises an Ethernet data.

5. The network component of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a low priority data prior to the frame, subsequent to the frame, or both, and wherein the transport overhead is not transmitted after the timeslot map.

6. The network component of claim 5 , wherein the frame is transmitted within a synchronization window comprising a first guard interval positioned before the frame, a second guard interval positioned after the frame, or both.

7. The network component of claim 6 , wherein the low priority data is transmitted before the frame, and wherein transmitting the low priority data comprises placing the low priority data in one or more timeslots in the first guard interval.

8. The network component of claim 6 , wherein the low priority data is transmitted subsequent to the frame, and wherein transmitting the low priority data comprises placing the low priority data in one or more timeslots in the second guard interval.

9. The network component of claim 1 , wherein the frame is transmitted within a synchronization window having a predefined period.

10. The network component of claim 9 , wherein the period is about 125 microseconds, wherein the timeslot map is not transmitted after the timeslots, and wherein each timeslot provides about 64 kilobits per second of bandwidth.

11. The network component of claim 9 , wherein the frame further comprises a control portion.

12. The network component of claim 11 , wherein the control portion comprises a synchronization data and the timeslot map, and wherein the timeslot map indicates the location of the data types in the timeslots

13. The network component of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to utilize the synchronization data to establish the synchronization window, and wherein the timeslot map describes the data types assigned to the timeslots.

14. The network component of claim 1 , wherein the transport overhead is not transmitted after the timeslots, wherein some of the timeslots are assigned to carry Ethernet packets, and wherein at least some of the timeslots assigned to carry Ethernet packets are not consecutively located within the frame.

15. A method comprising: communicating, by a processor, a frame comprising a transport overhead, a timeslot map, and a payload, wherein the timeslot map is communicated after all of the transport overhead, wherein the timeslot map indicates the data tapes located in the payload are time division multiplexed (TDM) data, a high performance flow (HPF) data best-effort packet (BEP) data, and undefined data, wherein the payload is communicated after all of the timeslot map, wherein the payload comprises a plurality of timeslots, wherein the timeslots are octet-sized timeslots, and wherein the timeslots are configured to carry the data types.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the frame is not a SONET frame or a SDH frame, wherein some of the timeslots are reserved for the TDM data, wherein the BEP data is not transmitted in the timeslots reserved for the TDM data, and wherein the TDM data comprises telephonic voice data and the BEP data comprises an Ethernet data.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the transport overhead is not communicated after the timeslot map, wherein the timeslot map is not communicated after the payload, wherein the timeslot map indicates the location of the data types in the payload, wherein the frame is communicated within a synchronization window having a predefined period of about 125 microseconds, and wherein each timeslot in the data stream provides about 64 kilobits per second of bandwidth.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the frame further comprises a control portion comprising a synchronization data and the timeslot map, wherein the time slop map indicates the location of the data types in the payload, and wherein the synchronization data is used to establish the synchronization window.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising communicating a low priority data prior to the frame, wherein the frame is communicated within a synchronization window comprising a first guard interval positioned before the frame, and wherein communicating the low priority data prior to the frame comprises placing the low priority data in one or more timeslots in the first guard interval.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising communicating a low priority data after the frame, wherein the frame is communicated within a synchronization window comprising a second guard interval positioned after the frame, and wherein communicating the low priority data after the frame comprises placing the low priority data in one or more timeslots in the second guard interval.